The most important things to do before upgrading to Windows 11 are checking official compatibility, creating a usable backup, saving recovery information, confirming application support, and fixing existing Windows problems. These checks reduce the chance of a failed upgrade and make recovery much easier when something unexpected happens.
This page is a readiness checklist, not another installation tutorial. Complete the checks here first, then use the separate Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade guide when the computer is ready.
Windows 11 Upgrade Readiness Checklist
| Check | Ready when | Stop and investigate when |
|---|---|---|
| PC Health Check | The app says the PC meets Windows 11 requirements | It identifies an unsupported processor, TPM, Secure Boot, or other requirement |
| Backup | Important files exist on another device or cloud location and can be opened | The only copy is still on the PC being upgraded |
| BitLocker key | The recovery key is saved somewhere accessible without the PC | The key exists only inside the computer |
| Windows health | Windows starts normally and has no unresolved crashes or storage errors | The PC already freezes, restarts, or shows repair errors |
| Storage | The system drive has comfortable working space | The drive is nearly full |
| Applications | Essential programs support Windows 11 and licence details are available | Critical software or hardware has uncertain support |
| Drivers | The PC manufacturer provides Windows 11 support or current drivers | Device Manager shows unresolved errors |
| Recovery plan | You know how to restore files or return to the previous setup | There is no tested backup or recovery option |
1. Run PC Health Check
Start with Microsoft’s PC Health Check app. It provides a clearer compatibility result than checking one specification at a time.
- Install or open PC Health Check.
- Find the Windows 11 compatibility section.
- Select Check now.
- Read the result and expand any reported problem.
Microsoft currently lists these minimum Windows 11 requirements:
- A compatible 64-bit processor running at 1 GHz or faster with at least two cores
- 4 GB of RAM
- A storage device of 64 GB or larger
- UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability
- TPM 2.0
- DirectX 12-compatible graphics with a WDDM 2.0 driver
- A 720p display larger than nine inches diagonally
The complete and current list is available on Microsoft’s Windows 11 specifications page. Meeting the minimum specifications does not guarantee that every application, peripheral, or specialist driver will work.
2. Understand Why the PC Fails Compatibility
Do not immediately use a bypass when PC Health Check reports a problem. Identify what failed.
TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot may be supported but disabled in firmware. An unsupported processor is different because enabling a setting will not change the processor model.
Press Windows + R, enter tpm.msc, and check Specification Version. For firmware information, press Windows + R, enter msinfo32, and review:
- BIOS Mode, which should show UEFI for standard Windows 11 support
- Secure Boot State
- Processor
- Installed Physical Memory
Firmware menus vary by manufacturer. Use how to open BIOS or UEFI in Windows 11 when you need to check a setting, but do not change storage-controller or boot settings at random.
3. Check the Manufacturer’s Support Page
PC Health Check evaluates Microsoft’s requirements. The computer manufacturer can tell you whether the exact model has tested Windows 11 drivers, firmware, and utilities.
Use the model or serial number to check the manufacturer’s support page for:
- Windows 11 driver availability
- A BIOS or UEFI update that mentions Windows compatibility
- Known upgrade warnings
- Support for the fingerprint reader, touchpad, hotkeys, camera, audio system, or docking station
- A model-specific recovery tool
Older business PCs may meet Microsoft’s basic requirements while relying on a specialist application or peripheral that the manufacturer no longer supports.
4. Create a Real Backup
Copy important files to storage that will remain separate from the computer during the upgrade. Suitable destinations include an external drive, another computer, a NAS, or a trusted cloud service.
Back up at least:
- Documents, pictures, videos, and project folders
- Desktop and Downloads files that matter
- Browser bookmarks or profiles that are not already synchronized
- Email archives stored locally
- Password-vault exports or emergency information, where appropriate
- Application templates, presets, game saves, and licence files
- Work stored outside the normal user folders
Synchronization is not always a full backup. A deleted or corrupted file may synchronize that unwanted change. Confirm that important cloud files have finished uploading, then open a few files from the backup destination.
Disconnect an external backup drive after verification so it is not accidentally selected, formatted, or affected during installation.
5. Save the BitLocker Recovery Key
Hardware and firmware changes can cause an encrypted PC to request its BitLocker recovery key. Save the 48-digit key before upgrading, even when Windows has never asked for it before.
Depending on how the device was configured, the key may be stored in:
- The Microsoft account connected to the PC
- A work or school account
- A printed page
- A text file or USB drive
- An organization’s device-management system
Microsoft’s BitLocker recovery-key guide explains the supported places to check. Store the key somewhere you can access from another device. Do not save the only copy on the encrypted PC.
Suspending BitLocker is not automatically necessary for every normal Windows upgrade. Follow a manufacturer or administrator’s instruction when firmware, TPM, or boot configuration will also be changed.
6. Confirm Your Sign-In and Recovery Details
Make sure you know the password for the account, not only the Windows Hello PIN. A PIN is tied to the device and may need to be recreated after a security or recovery change.
Check that you can access:
- The email address connected to the Microsoft account
- The account password
- A second-factor authentication method
- Backup codes when applicable
- The password for any local administrator account
Avoid beginning the upgrade immediately before travelling or when you cannot access the phone, email, security key, or administrator needed to complete sign-in.
7. Verify Windows Edition and Activation
Open Settings > System > Activation and record:
- The installed Windows edition
- Whether Windows is activated
- Whether the activation is linked to a Microsoft account
An eligible upgrade normally activates the matching Windows 11 edition automatically. Windows 10 Home typically upgrades to Windows 11 Home, while Windows 10 Pro upgrades to Windows 11 Pro.
Resolve an activation problem before upgrading. Changing edition during troubleshooting can complicate activation and may remove the option to keep applications.
8. Finish Pending Updates and Restart
Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on Windows 10. Install normal pending quality, servicing, and driver updates, then restart.
Return to Windows Update after the restart. A second check matters because one update may depend on another or remain incomplete until Windows reboots.
Do not start the Windows 11 upgrade while Windows displays a pending restart, while another update is installing, or immediately after cancelling a failed servicing operation.
9. Fix Existing Windows Problems First
An upgrade should not be used as the first repair for an unstable system. Investigate problems such as:
- Random restarts or blue screens
- File-system or storage warnings
- Windows Update failures
- Damaged system files
- Device Manager errors
- A PC that cannot complete a normal restart
- Malware or unexplained account activity
Run these commands from Command Prompt (Admin) when system-file damage is suspected:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannowRestart afterward. When the SSD reports warnings or the PC experiences unexplained file corruption, use how to check SSD health in Windows 11. Most of the health checks also apply while preparing a Windows 10 PC.
10. Create Comfortable Free Space
Microsoft lists a 64 GB storage device as a minimum requirement, but that is not the same as the free space needed for a smooth upgrade.
Setup needs room for downloaded files, temporary data, the new Windows image, migrated applications, and rollback files. I would create at least 30 GB of free space when possible.
Use Settings > System > Storage and review temporary files, unused applications, and large personal folders. Move personal data to the verified backup rather than deleting it blindly.
Do not manually remove recovery partitions or unfamiliar Windows folders to create space.
11. Check Essential Applications
Make a short list of programs the computer must run after the upgrade. This matters more than checking every small utility.
For each essential application, confirm:
- It supports Windows 11
- The installed version is current enough
- You have the installer or a reliable download source
- The licence can be reactivated
- Important local data and settings are backed up
- Required plug-ins, add-ons, and hardware interfaces are compatible
Pay extra attention to accounting software, older Adobe or Microsoft products, VPN clients, virtualization tools, specialist engineering software, printer-management suites, and security applications.
12. Check Drivers and Connected Hardware
Open Device Manager and look for warning symbols or unknown devices. Fix those problems before the upgrade.
Check Windows 11 support for hardware you depend on, including:
- Printers and scanners
- Audio interfaces
- Capture cards
- Fingerprint readers
- Drawing tablets
- Docks and port replicators
- Specialist USB or serial devices
- RAID or storage-controller hardware
Do not use an unknown driver-updater tool to replace every driver. Prioritize BIOS, chipset, storage, graphics, network, and any device already showing an error. Use Windows Update or the hardware manufacturer’s official support page.
13. Remove Likely Upgrade Conflicts
Before launching Setup, uninstall obsolete software that adds low-level drivers or services, especially:
- Old third-party antivirus suites
- VPN clients you no longer use
- Disc-emulation and virtual-drive tools
- Outdated tuning, RGB, fan-control, or overclocking utilities
- Old partition-management or encryption software
Restart after uninstalling them. Keep installers and licence details for anything you plan to reinstall.
Disconnect unnecessary external devices during the upgrade. Leave the keyboard, mouse, primary display, power adapter, and required network connection. External drives should remain disconnected after the backup is verified.
14. Know What the Upgrade Can Preserve
An in-place upgrade can normally retain personal files, applications, and settings when Windows Setup offers Keep personal files and apps.
Do not proceed when the option is unavailable until you understand why. Common reasons include:
- The installation media language does not match the installed Windows language
- The selected Windows edition is different
- Setup was started by booting from USB instead of from inside Windows
- The upgrade path is not supported
- The installation source is older or otherwise incompatible
Booting from installation media starts a different workflow and can lead to a clean installation. For a normal upgrade, start Windows, open the installation media, and run setup.exe.
15. Prepare a Recovery Plan
Decide what you will do if the upgrade fails before you begin.
Your plan should include:
- The verified file backup
- The BitLocker recovery key
- Windows or manufacturer recovery media when appropriate
- Access to another device and internet connection
- Installers and licence information for essential applications
- A record of the existing Windows edition
- Enough time for Setup to finish without interruption
Windows may offer a limited period to return to the previous version after an upgrade, but that option depends on rollback files remaining intact. Disk Cleanup, Storage Sense, or manual removal of the previous Windows installation can remove that route.
Treat rollback as a convenience, not your only recovery plan.
Do Not Upgrade Yet When These Problems Remain
Delay the upgrade when:
- PC Health Check reports an unresolved compatibility failure.
- The only copy of important files remains on the PC.
- BitLocker is enabled but the recovery key cannot be found.
- The storage drive reports health problems.
- Windows already crashes, restarts, or fails updates.
- Critical software or hardware has no confirmed Windows 11 support.
- The computer cannot stay connected to reliable power.
- You do not have enough time to let Setup and a possible rollback complete.
Waiting long enough to resolve one of these risks is safer than forcing the upgrade and troubleshooting several problems at once.
When the PC Is Ready
The preparation is complete when compatibility is confirmed, the backup has been tested, recovery information is accessible, Windows is stable, storage is available, and essential applications and devices have a support plan.
Continue with how to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. That page covers Windows Update, Installation Assistant, and installation media without repeating this readiness checklist.
When Setup rolls back with a code beginning 0xC1900101, preserve the entire code and use the 0xC1900101 installation-error guide to identify the failed phase and driver conflict.
